Envelop-making machine



J. P. RAMAGE.

ENVELOP MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1920.

Patented 001. 11, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I- $6 1 Fann e [3 1 1k J. P. RAMAGE.

ENVELOP MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Flex? Patented Oct. 11, 1921..

J. P. RAMAGE. ENVELOP MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED my 2|, 1920.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921;

378HEETS-SHEET 3.

F IG. J

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PATERSQN BAMAGE, OF LIBER'ION, SCOTLAND.

ENVELOP-MAKZNG IZIACHINE.

To all whom it may GOILOeifl.

Be it known that 1, JOHN PArn-nson RAMAGE, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residentof KirkbyMount,Alnwickhill Road, Liberton, Midlothian, Scotland, envelop maker have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Making h'lachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for the manufacture of envelope having a transparent window to give visibility to the address on. the inclosed correspondence and the object of the present invention is to provide improved mechanism for applying the transparencies or transparent blanks to the en- .1 velop blank prior to the folding of the latter,

the improved mechanism expediting and facilitating the manufacture of the envelops and also reducing the distance as compared with known machines over which the envelop blank must be transported from the gumming operation to the final application and adhesion of the transparency.

According to the present invention, the envelop blank, with the usual aperture therein, is gummed around the aperture, and is transferred by a conveyor to an elevating table adapted to raise the gummed blank to a plane above the conveyor, the application of the transparency to the envelop thus taking place at a higher level than the conveyer. I

The application of the transparency to the envelops is effected by the action of a selfadjusting pressure block upon the transparencies contained within a suitable magazine and said pressure block is arranged to descend uponthe pile of window blanks and exert pressure thereon while the elevating table holds the gumnied envelop blank in contact with the lowermost transparency, the pressure block exerting pressure on the transparencies by its own weight and being so fitted as to be lifted out of contact with the transparencies before the elevating table descends. 1

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is hereinafter made to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred construction of the machine.

Figure 1 is a side view of the machine.

Fig.2 is a plan view to a larger scale.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed July 21, 1920.

, Patented Oct. 11, 1921. Serial No. 398,035.

adapted to apply gum around the window aperture and to lift the topmost envelop blank 1 from the pile and deposit it upon a horizontally reciprocating conveyer or carriage.

The conveyor preferably comprises two parallel bars 4 having projections 5 for engaging the edge of the envelop blank so as to transport the latter into a position over the elevating table 5 with the gummed window aperture immediately beneath the magazine 7 containing the window transparencies 8.

The magazine 7 is fitted with a plurality of vertically movable spring catches or buffers adapted to support the edges of the lower transparencies, said catches preferably comprising spring controlled vertical rods 9 terminating at their lower ends in circular flanges or buffers 10. The magazine also carried a plurality of vertically movable keeper rods 11 which are adapted todescend upon and hold the envelop blank in position upon the elevating table 6 as the latter rises.

hen the elevating table 6 has brought the envelop blank into contact with the lowermost transparency, the table 6 raises the buffers 10 and the pres-:ure block 12 comes into operation, causing the lowermost transparency to adhere firmly to the envelop.

The pressure block 12 is preferably carried at the lower end of a spindle 13 workingthrough a ball or roller friction clutch 1 1- having coned surfaces 15 and 16 which support balls or rollers arranged to bear on the spindle 13. so that raising of the coned surface 15 releases the spindle 13. The coned surface is carried by a sleeve having a collar 17 adapted to be lifted by a yoke 18 projecting from a vertical rod 19, the clutch 1 1 being carried by a boss 20 at one end of a bracket 21 sliding on the rod 19-and fixed upon a vertical shaft 22. It will be understood that by movement of the rod 19 and shaft 22 relatively to each other, the

clutch 14 will engage or disengage the spindle 13 and the pressure block 12 may be lifted or lowered by raising or lowering the clutch 14:.

Preferably the clutch 14: is raised and lowered to raise and lower the pre sure block 12 by reciprocating the vertical shaft 22 and rod 19, the clutch 14: being released to allow the pressure block 12 to rest on the trans parencies by lifting the rod 19 relatively to the shaft 22 when required, but it willbe understood that the rod 19 could be fixed and the yoke 18 movable thereon or the rod 19 could move with the clutch 14 and the yoke 18 be operated independently.

'mences to descend, the pressure block 12 is lifted-clear of the transparencies by raising the shaft 22 and clutch 14;

The magazine 7 is preferably fitted with side plate springs 23 (shown dotted in Fig.

' 1) for exerting lateral pressure on the transparencies, the side springs being bent out wardlyat their lower ends, so as not to exert pressure on the lower portlon of the pile of transparencies. In this manner the weight of the pile of transparencies is taken off the lowermost transparency, so that when the newly applied transparency is being withdrawn from the buffers 10, there 7 l, being mounted on brackets 25 so as to move therewith. As the elevating table 6' descends, the "keeper rods 11 descend thereis never more' weight upon it than the head of transparencies beneath the side springs During the application of the transparency tothe envelop, the conveyer rods 4 return to position beneath the next gummed envelop lifted by'the gumming die 3 and at the same time, a second conveyer or carriage 24 mounted at a higher level than the conveyer rods 4, moves into position beneat the raised elevating table 6.

The second conveyer 24 preferably forms a rearward extension of the conveyer rods with and thus assist the newly applied transparency to detach itself from the buffers 10. Thereupon the keeper rods 11 release the envelop on the table 6 and enable the latter to deposit the envelop upon the second conveyer 24, having PIOjGCtlOnS 26 adapted to engage the edge of the envelop and deliver it either over a folding box or to suitable folding mechanism. At the same time, the conveyer rods 4 will have brought another gummed envelop blank over the elevating table 6.

When the conveyer 24 is to deliver the envelop to a folding box, the envelop may be engaged by fingers or projections adapted to be limited in their forward travel by motion relatively to the conveyer 24:, such motion being absorbed by springs so that said. springs expand during theiinitial return motion of the conveyer 24: and thus cause the fingers or projections to dwell and retain the envelop temporarily beneath the magazine. This arrangement obviates a period of dwell between the forward and return motion of the conveyer 24: and also reduces the length of travel of the envelop from beneath the magazine to the folding box, thereby increasing the speed of operation of the machine. 1

On the drawings I have shown the second conveyer 2 1- as delivering the envelope on to endless traveling cords 27' from whence the envelop may be delivered to folding mechanism, but it will of coursebe understood that my invention may be readily adapted to combined gumming and folding machines in which case the conveyer 2a would deliver the envelop blank to the folding box. 7 Y

It will be understood that suitable mechanism must be provided for synchronous reciprocation of the gumming die, conveyers,

elevating table, pressure block and keeper rods and that only such parts of the mech amsm as are necessary for the present invention to be clearly understood,'have been described herein.

The conveyers may be made adjustable'to accommodate envelop blanks of differentsizes, for which purpose the rods 4 maybe mounted 011 transversely adjustable crossliea s or guides. V r

VVhen the present improvements are applied to machines for gumming the window aperture only (that is to say, in which the flaps of the envelop blank have already been gummed the application of the transparency to the envelop at a level above the conveyer rods l, enables the distance between the gumm'ing die 3 and elevating table 6' to be reduced to such an extent that the envelop on the table 6 may overlap the envelop on the conveyer rods 4 without interfering with the gumming operation and window application taking place either simultaneously or in quick succession;

Claims:

1. A machine for applying transparencies to envelop blanks comprising a feed table, a picker, a reciprocated feed conveyer adapted to receive the blanks from, said picker, an elevating table to which said blanks are transported by said conveyer, a fixed magazine for the transparencies above said table, means for retaining the transparencies in the magazine a self-adjusting clutch-controlled pressure block adapted to descend upon the transparencies, and a conveyer on a plane above said feed conveyer.

2. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the transparency retaining means comprise vertically movable spring-controlled rods terminating at their lower ends in circular flanges and side spring plates adapted to exert lateral pressure on the transparencies.

3. A machine for applying transparencies to envelop blanks comprising a fixed magazine, a vertically movable table beneath said magazine, a pressure block adapted to descend upon the transparencies in the magazine, a spindle supporting said block, a

clutch adapted to permit said spindle to lift, means for raising or lowering said clutch and mechanism for releasing said clutch.

4. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the distance between the feed table and magazine is shortened to such an extent that a part of one envelop may overlap the succeeding envelop.

5. A machine as specified in claim 1 provided With a plurality of vertically movable keeper rods adapted to hold the envelop blank upon the elevating table as the latter rises and means for reciprocating said rods.

6. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the delivery conveyer forms an extension of the feed conveyer and is adapted to move therewith.

JOHN PATERSON RAMAGE. 

